U.S. Farathane Corporation

John Klinkman

Steve Porter

A ventilation module for a vehicle having a housing including a flap hingedly secured along an inner edge to the housing to extend across its open interior. The flap includes side edges and an interconnecting outer edge which contact, in a closed flap condition, support locations configured along the housing to define its open interior. One or more fingers extend from at least one of the side and outer edges of the flap so that the fingers abut standoff locations of the housing located in proximity to the support locations. Upon a sufficient positive air pressure condition created within the passenger compartment which overcomes a holding force exerted by the fingers against said stand-offs, the flap is allowed to open in a controlled fashion to vent to the exterior the excess air pressure, until reclosing upon achieving an air equilibrium condition.

Finger tab interface for vehicle pressure relief valve incorporated into a ventilation module for providing slow closing/opening of valve under low pressures resulting from a door slam event

A method for producing a thermoplastic panel, including the steps of providing a rotary injection tool exhibiting a die cavity and featuring at least one lifter component within the cavity. The tool is positioned to orient the cavity in a first configuration during which a first shot injection molding of a doghouse is conducted onto a receiving location of the lifter component. The cavity is open and the tool rotated to reposition the cavity in a second configuration, following which a second shot injection molding operation is conducted for forming a skin of the panel in communication with the first shot doghouse clip. Following this, the mold is opened and the finished part removed.

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Auburn Hills, MI, United States of America

John Klinkman